Witch-Hunting in Seventeenth-Century New England: A Documentary History 1638-1693, Second Edition

David D. Hall collects primary historical documents spanning 1638 through 1693 to document the history of witch-hunting across early colonial New England. The compilation includes coverage of the Salem outbreak in 1692 alongside the extensive Stamford-Fairfield, Connecticut hunt of 1692-1693. Readers encounter court depositions, contemporary letters, diary entries, trials for witchcraft, defamation suits, preternatural occurrences, and diabolical possession reports. Hall organizes the volume into distinct sections, opening each with contextual headnotes that outline background details and cite key secondary interpretations. In his analytical introduction, Hall examines legal frameworks, religious ideologies, popular versus learned views of the devil, antagonistic social ties, witchcraft lore, and the particular vulnerability of women within small village settings. This volume suits researchers, historians, and readers seeking raw archival materials regarding early American religious life, popular culture, gender, and local village politics. It does not suit readers looking for modern instructional spellcraft, contemporary Wiccan practice, or fictionalized retellings. Hall brings academic authority to the collection, providing clear framework notes that clarify the communal tensions, envy, and family misfortunes recorded by seventeenth-century accusers, victims, and judges.